[ilikeoldchangke]

Rui's wide sweeping swings of her sabre allowed her to control the tide of the fight. The men were forced into a frenzied retreat, parrying her blows and dodging Jane's thrusts with the spear. The four of them fought in a flurry of motion, moving from the courtyard towards the general office. Mali wanted to takeout Rui first, because she was not as fast as Jane, but it was taking him everything he had to avoid the dark-bladed spear. Each time Rui got close to striking the Teacher, he attempted to rush her when she drew her blade back from the swing. He never got close though. The graceful arcs of the sabre easily kept his shorter blade at bay. Each combatant was maintaining their distance from their foe, perfectly following the carefully laid-out rules of distance management in melee combat.

The Teacher had always prided himself for his ability to remain calm during tense and stressful moments such as these, but he could feel his anxiety building. This was taking far too long and he didn't like the fact that they were so exposed. The longer this dragged on, the higher the chances that backup would arrive for their opponents. He would have loved to have a few more teachers by his side, but every one of them was spread out across the island. Having Mali, one of his star students, was not too bad considering the circumstances they were in.

The Teacher caught a break, his short crossguard catching the edge of Rui's blade close to the handle. He felt a moment of looseness in her grip and, with a hard downwards shove of his combat knife, he knocked the sabre from Rui’s hand. Just when he thought he gained the upper hand, Rui deftly rotated her hand, the knot that fastened the sabre to her wrist coming into play. At the end of its short tether, with her body drawn back, she swung the weapon across in a low swinging arc, drawing blood from the Teacher's abdomen. The Teacher felt the sting as he jumped back. His sudden change of direction drove him against Mali’s back, sending his student stumbling towards Jane.

Mali cursed as he struggled to regain his balance. He had lost one of his weapons in the process, but was now well within striking range of Jane. She hadn't anticipated the suddenly change in proximity and her spear thrust passed harmlessly over his shoulder. Before Mali could bring his other weapon to bear, he had the breath driven out of him by a swift knee to the gut. He did not even have time to react, before a sharp elbow strike to his forearm jarred the sole remaining blade from his hand. The close range had forced Jane to drop her spear and she was engaging him with her bare fists. Mali lowered his body, and with a shoulder charge like a rugby player, he tackled Jane to the ground. The two of them grappled on the ground, desperately trying to gain control over each other.

The Teacher stole a glance behind his shoulder, his body language betraying his intention to Rui. With the sabre still swinging at the end of its tether, she cut a wide arc between the Teacher and Jane. Her intent was clear. There was to be no interference in their fight.

With a lightning-quick motion, Jane twisted herself behind Mali, her arm wrapped around his throat. Mali's eyes went wide in panic as he gasped for breath. He realised that he was caught and there was no way out of it. Jane's grip tightened and her other hand moved in to secure the hold. Her face remained expressionless as she exerted just the right amount of pressure to incapacitate him. Mali thrashed wildly on the ground, trying to break free from Jane's grip, but she held firm with her forearm locked across his neck.

Watching their struggle was like witnessing two jujitsu experts in the midst of a match, both attempting to outwit and overpower their opponent.
The Teacher was ready to jump in and help, but Rui blocked his path. Her sabre was kept trained on him while she stood ready to intervene should Jane start losing the fight. The two of them faced off, both unmoving, both awaiting the conclusion of the scuffle playing out beside them.

Mali gathered all his strength and rolled in an attempt to free himself. Jane, not wanting to give up her advantage, rolled along with Mali, their bodies tumbling and rolling across drain gratings, soil, dirt, and grass. Mali knew if he didn't break free soon, it would be game over for him. Jane's arm was stubbornly pressed around both sides of his neck from behind, cutting off the blood supply to his brain. It was only a matter of seconds before he passed out. In a last-ditch effort, he reached for the spare knife strapped to his right thigh - a mistake he shouldn't have made.

Jane saw her opportunity when she felt Mali's weight shifting. She quickly adjusted her grip, her supporting arm grabbing Mali's right hand which was fumbling to unsheathe the knife. She twisted it back over his shoulder and pinned it behind his back. In one swift motion, Jane released her grip and snatched Mali's combat knife from its sheath, driving it down into his chest. The blade punctured flesh and drew blood. Mali grunted in pain, franticly snatching onto Jane's wrist to stop the blade from entering further. The tip of the knife was stopped by his ribcage, but it would not be there for long. Jane twisted the blade, splitting Mali's flesh while she dragged it downwards towards the soft part of his stomach.

Mali: ARNGHHHHHHHHHHHH!

Jane held on, fighting against Mali’s grip, and when the knife reached the spot she wanted, she hammered it into the pit of his stomach. Inch by inch, she drove the blade deeper, blood spurting out from the open wound and pooling around her on the ground.

The Teacher wanted to help, but Rui positioned herself firmly in front of him, blocking his approach with the continuous swings of her sabre. She suddenly burst into action, her sabre whirling defensively around her head, driving the Teacher backwards and distancing him further away from Mali.

Mali: ARGHHH... ahhhh... ARGHHH!

The agony of being disembowelled and not been able to do anything was almost unbearable. Mali screamed in pain as Jane forced the blade deeper and deeper into him. When Jane felt his strength failing, she wrenched herself out from under his back, her hand still firmly gripped on the knife. She grunted and shifted herself on top of Mali, then with both hands on the hilt, she pushed onto it with the full weight of her body.

Jane: Arghhhhh!

Jane twisted the blade, feeling the rough textured grip biting into her hands as she wrenched it to the side and carved open Mali’s stomach. Without hesitation, she drove the knife back in and across to the other side, splitting him wide open. Mali's hands clutched onto his entrails and his screams filled the school's courtyard. His organs might be spilling out, but he was still moving and weakly trashing about. His last attempts for escape were all for naught. Jane pressed her knee on his face and sent the knife into the side of his neck. The smell of blood mixed with the scent of wet soil and sweat soon permeated her nostrils.

Mali was gone. His body lying lifeless on the grass with blood pooling around him. His last moments were spent in agony and fear, knowing that there was no way he could have survived the encounter. Jane rolled off him, adopting a low stance like a crouching tiger. She held the bloodied blade at the ready while she casted a look towards Rui and the Teacher.

Rui landed another slash across the chest of the large man. The Teacher panted hard while he backed away with his knife held up defensively in front of him. Realising that he was outmatched, he feigned a throw before he spun around and began to run. Jane and Rui immediately gave chase.

On the quiet streets of Yishun, three figures pounded down the road. The Teacher sprinted flat-out for a full minute, but he could still hear the girls hot on his tail. He turned to check their distance, his eyes darted between the two determined women, desperation etching deep lines into his face. He reached for his phone to call for backup, the conversation lasted merely seconds before the Teacher threw his phone into a grass patch. He was given the reply that he expected.

Teacher: Hahaha...

He suddenly stopped running and made a lunge for Jane. She did not even slow down. Jane went low into a sliding tackle, but the Teacher was faster. He found his footing and a hard knee sent Jane rolling onto the tarred road. Rui released the handle of her sabre and swung it on its now blood splattered sash, widening her radius of attack to drive the Teacher back.

Instead of avoiding the attack, the Teacher blocked the sabre with his left forearm, the blade digging deep into his flesh.

Teacher: ARGHHHH!

He grabbed the off-balanced Rui and headbutted her in her face. Jane drove her knee into the Teacher’s kidney, but it was not enough to get him to release Rui. Still grabbing onto Rui, the Teacher spun around and caught hold of Jane. He lifted both girls off the ground in a bearhug and began bashing his forehead against their skulls and faces.

Teacher: ARGHHHH… ERGHHHH!

As the Teacher hammered his head against hers, Jane felt like she was being hit by a steel pan. She struggled to free her arm and reached for the dagger in her boot sheath. Beside her, Rui had done the same. One after the other, they sent their blades into the Teacher's body. Arms, shoulders, chest, even his neck, but the headbutts kept coming. His next blow knocked out Rui, and Jane knew she was on the verge of losing consciousness.

She had lost her knife in her desperate struggle to break free, but she felt her legs instinctively wrapping around one of the Teacher's legs. Angling her body as best she could, Jane twisted herself and forced him down to his knees. The moment her feet met the ground, she had the leverage to kick herself free.

The Teacher knew he was done. His vision was blurring and he could feel the bubbling of blood and air from the multiple wounds on his neck. Jane was hammering away at his arm, trying to break his grip on Rui, but he held on. He hugged tightly onto Rui even when Jane twisted and broke one of the fingers on his left hand. He was determined to take at least one life before he expired. The Teacher grunted in pain, blood spilling from his lips as he pulled out the knife Rui had buried in his shoulder. He sent it in a wild slash towards Jane. Jane avoided the hit, but before she could move forward to disarm the Teacher, he had plunged it into Rui's stomach.

Jane: NO!

Jane unleashed a flurry of left and right elbows into the Teacher's face and he finally let go of Rui. Not because of her effort, but because his heart had finally stopped beating. She grabbed her dropped dagger and made sure the Teacher was dead by slicing his throat wide open and severing his jugular.
Almost in despair, Jane threw down the knife and turned her attention to Rui. With one hand applying pressure on Rui’s wound, Jane called the number on her speed dial and shouted into her phone the moment the line connected.

Jane: I have a lioness down. I need help, now! Now!

*

Halfway across the island, in the Castle, Riona stared at the screen in the command centre. On it was a live feed being streamed from the scene by an overheard drone. Her fists were clenched tightly, and as hard as she tried, she could not control the tears that were rolling down her cheeks.
Jackson grabbed Riona by her arm and pulled her out of the command centre.

Jackson: You should not be here...

Riona: Is she going to be okay?

Jackson: Help is on the way. I need you back where the kids are... can you do that, Riona?

Riona wiped the tears from her face and nodded.

Jackson: Help is on the way. We will bring her back here. Okay?

Riona nodded and she bit down hard on her teeth to fight back more tears. Her mother didn't like it when she cried. She forced herself to swallow back those tears as she made her way back to the children under her charge.

*

40 hours before invasion

It was dark when James's convoy pulled into the carpark of Jewel. A temporary ops centre was already set up in a vehicle. The basement carpark was mostly empty after the curfew had been declared. A travel advisory had been issued in many countries, advising their citizens to avoid travel to Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore for the time being. The airport was busy the past few days, with many countries sending dedicated flights to bring their citizens home.

Chan could not have pulled off such a stunt without help from within. Still, James never expected the help to come from someone he knew - someone he trained and operated with. Simon had always been the rebel from his batch of operators - he had an issue with taking orders from men he didn't like. He would often veer off from the objective and do things his own way, and things like that did not sit well with his superiors. His career path had been rocky to say the least.

Simon loathed authority figures and that factored in when he was not able to pass the psychological assessments. His advancement in rank ground to a halt, intensifying his contempt for the establishment. He was the perfect candidate for Chan, and he took up Chan's offer with little deliberation. At first, Simon merely supplied Chan with classified information, but he soon became more involved in the process. He was seduced by Chan's promise of ensuring a smooth and successful transition of power when Singapore's current leadership had fallen. Subsequently, Simon went all-in with the dark side.

Boon: Simon has about 40 men with him. They are operating separately from the company tasked to guard the airport.

James: How are they spread out?

Boon: Most of the company have taken up defensive positions, with exception of one platoon. They stick around Simon and practically follow him everywhere. They are over at terminal three now.

James checked the instructions he was given and sent his men to notify the rest of the company stationed around the airport. They were to be relieved of their duties and be replaced by another company of soldiers waiting on standby. The security of the airport could not be risked being compromised by someone on the inside.

James’s men took up positions on high ground and blocked every entrance into the central atrium where the largest indoor waterfall once fell. The grand atrium, once a symphony of human activity and glistening vitality, had ground to a profound halt. Gone was the laughter and excited chatter. Gone were the endless footsteps that echoed like a drumroll in the vast space. The ceaseless movement had been silenced, replaced by an unsettling void that hung heavily in the air. The jewel of Changi had lost its sparkle.

The colourful shops that lined the walkways, once adorned with vibrant displays and beckoning shoppers, now stood in a state of frozen abandonment. Storefronts, their lights extinguished, casted eerie shadows against the dimly lit thoroughfare. The escalators, once in constant motion, now lay dormant like slumbering giants. The magnificent waterfall which was once the centrepiece of the atrium had surrendered to stillness.

James and his men waited in silence. When Simon got word that his company was being replaced, he would know that the cat was out of the bag. He was surrounded and there was nowhere else for him to go. His only option was to fight his way out. Even if he managed to get out, he would be doing so on foot. James knew that Simon was not someone who would back down. He was not the kind of man who would consider retreat, which was why James chose to wait for him in Jewel’s main atrium.

Boon: Welly is meeting the cabinet now.

James: What is the situation?

Boon: He's singing.

James gave his buddy a puzzled look.

James: What do you mean?

Boon subconsciously touched the extra drum magazine he slung around his chest.

Boon: For Welly to start singing, I think we're fucked.

*

38 hours before invasion

Everyone rose when Welly Chin entered the meeting room. The rapid chatter reduced in volume until it became a deafening silence. In the room, sat all of Welly's closest colleagues, advisers, and ministers. They were men and women who had stood by him throughout the years. However, not all of them were fervent supporters of his political party and there were some who were not afraid to challenge his views and debate against the policies his team was pushing to implement. But despite their differences, one thing was clear. Everyone had Singapore's interests at heart, and that was the only thing that mattered.

Welly looked into the eyes of his advisers. Their fatigue was evident. It was clear to see it had been days since the crisis started that some of them had gotten a proper rest. Everyone was wound up tight like a spring, ready to snap at any moment. But amidst the tension and anxiety, Welly could also detect an unmistakable sense of determination. He knew he had people to rely on, and that was what kept him going despite the challenges they faced. Welly exhaled and smiled. Then in a relaxed voice, he spoke his first few words upon stepping into the meeting room. But instead of words, it was a song. He had begun to sing.

Welly: In the jungle… the mighty jungle… The lion sleeps tonight…

The singing took everyone by surprise and everyone just stared in stunned silence.

"In the Jungle…. the mighty jungle…. The lion sleeps tonight…."

After the few seconds, the shock subsided and many joined in the song as well. People laughed and a few clapped and cheered.

“Uyimbube… Uyimbube… Uyimbube… Uyimbube…”
“Uyimbube… Uyimbube… Uyimbube… Uyimbube…”

This was a song many were familiar with. Kids loved it, it was catchy, and it was after all featured in the Lion King. In Zulu ‘uyimbube’, meant, ‘you are a lion’, something that Welly's son told him after they watched the show together many years ago.

“Near the village, the peaceful village”

“The lion sleeps tonight”

“Near the village, the quiet village”

“The lion sleeps tonight”

The whole room smiled and hummed along. They allowed themselves a moment of relief from the tremendous amount of stress they had carried for the past few months.

“Wee heeheehee weeoh aweem away”
“Wee heeheehee weeoh aweem away”